High and low water alarm for steam-boilers



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. W. GILPILLAN.

HIGH AND LOW WATER ALARM FOR STEAM BOILERS. No. 409,189. I Patented Aug.20, 1889.

wassea Inventor 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

Patented Aug (No Model.)

A. W. GILPILLAN. HIGH AND LOW WATER ALARM FOR STEAM BOILERS. No.409,189.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ADAM IVILLIAM GILFILLAN, OF MENDOCINO, CALIFORNIA.

HIGH AND LOW WATER ALARM FOR STEAM-BOILERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,189, dated August20, 1889.

Application filed May 10, 1889 $erial No. 310,222. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ADAM WILLIAM GILFIL- LAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Mendocino, in the county of Mendocino and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in High and LowIVater Alarms for Steam-Boilers, of which the following is aspecification This invention relates to high and low water alarms forsteam-boilers; and it has for its object to provide a device of thisclass which shall be operated by the expansion and contraction ofcertain pipes caused by the admission of water or steam into the saidpipes.

The invention consists in theimproved construction and arrangements ofits operative parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showinginy improvedapparatus applied to a steam-boiler in position for operation. Fig. 2 isa vertical sectional view of the apparatus.

The same letters refer to the same parts in both figures.

A designates the end of a steam-boiler, and B and O designate pipesconnected therewith and extending horizontally from the same atrespectively the low and high water lines.

D is a bracket secured firmly by means of a set-screw E upon a pipe F,which extends vertically from pipe E, the outer end of which latter isto be closed by means of a plug, or in any other suitable manner. Aconnecting rod or pipe G extends vertically from the bracket D, and thelatter is provided at its outer end with a sleeve 11, through whichpasses a pipe I, extending vertically from pipe 0, the outer end ofwhich latter is also closed.

Suitably attached to the upper end of the pipe or connecting rod G is ahorizontal bracket J, the ends of which are provided with verticalsleeves for the accommodation of the upper ends of the pipes F and I,which work loosely in the said sleeves.

K designates a T pipe or coupling, connected to the upper end of thevertical pipe F, and provided at a suitable point below its horizontalextension with a transverse partition-plate L, below which it isprovided with a laterally-extending branch M, having a springvalve Nadapted to be operated by a laterally-extending rod or plug 0. Thehorizontal extension P of the T-coupling is connected with thesteam-space of the boiler, and to the upper end of the said T-couplingis attached a steam-whistle Q, to which steam is admitted through thespring-valve R, which is normally kept closed by the action of thespring, and which may be operated by the laterally-extending rod or plugS.

The bracket J is provided with upwardlyextending arms T and U, to theformer of which is pivoted the lever V, the inner end of which isloosely connected to the upper end of the pipe F, or to the T-couplingconnected to said pipe. The outer end of lever V is provided with a camWV, adapted to engage and operate the plug 0 of the spring valve N. Thelever V is provided with an upwardlyextending arm or branch X, in thebifurcated upper end of which is pivoted a lever Y, through which passesa transverse screwthreaded rod Z, the inner end of which carries aconcave-faced disk a, adapted to press or bear against the outer end ofthe operating rod or plug S of the spring-valve R.

To the outer end of the leverYis attached an operating cord or wire I),by means of which the inner end of said lever may be raised whendesired, so as to throw the ooncave-faced disk a out of contact with theoperating plug or rod S of the steam-whistle. T 1e inner end of thelever V is connected by means of a coiled spring 0 with the bracket J,the action of said spring being to keep the outer end of said leverhaving the cam WV raised and out of contact with the plug 0 of valve N.

The upper end of the pipe I, the lower end of which is connected withthe high-water line of the steam-boiler, is provided with alaterally-extendin g branch d, having a springvalve 0, which may beopened by pressure upon its outwardly-extending plug g is a leverpivoted to the upper end of the arm U of bracket J and having its outerend connected loosely to the upper end of the pipe I by means of a pinor screw it passing through the slot 11 in the said lever. The inner endof the lever g is provided with a cam j, adapted to bear against andoperate the spring-plug f of the valve 6. The extreme i11- ner end ofthe lever g is extended under and adapted to bear against the under sideof the extreme inner end of the lever D.

The operation of myinvention is as follows: When the water in the boileris at its proper height-namely, between the high and low Water lines-thepipe I, the lower end of which is connected to the high-water line ofthe boiler, will be filled with steam, while the pressure of the steamin the steam-space of the boiler will force the water from the latterinto the pipe F,thelower end of which is connected to the low-water lineof the boiler. The inequality in temperature between the steam and thewater thus causes the pipe I to be normally expanded, while the pipe Fis normally contracted, and the apparatus as sumes the normal position,which is illustrated in the drawings hereto annexed. WVhen the waterfalls below the low-water line, the water from the boiler leaves thepipe F and is replaced with steam, which causes the said pipe F toexpand or to be elongated, thereby causing its upper end to raise theinner end of the lever V, which is loosely connected to said pipe. Theupper end of the arm X of said lever will thus be forced in an out-warddirection, causing the concave-faced disk a to bear against the plug Sof valve R, through which steam is admitted to the whistle Q, whichconsequently sounds the alarm. NVhen water is injected into the boilerand again enters the pipe F, the latter is contracted, causing the outerend of the lever V to be elevated and its cam \V to press against theplug 0 of the valve N, which is thereby opened, so as to enable thesteam and gases contained in the pipe F to escape and the said pipe tobe completely filled wit-h water. \Vhen, on the other hand, the Waterpasses above the high-water mark in the boiler, the steam contained inthe pipe I will be replaced with water, causing the said pipe to becontracted and the inner end of the lever G to be raised and pressedagainst the inner end of lever V, the arm X of which is thus forced inan outward direction and caused to sound the alarm. WVhen the injectionof water into the boiler is suspended and the water-line is lowered, thewater will leave the pipe I and be replaced with steam, which causessaid pipe again to expand, lowering the outer end of lever g, andcausing the cam j at the inner end of said lever to operate thevalve-plug f, which opens the valve 6 and enables the gases accumulatedin the upper end of pipe I to escape.

It will be seen from the foregoing descrip tion that my improvedapparatus operates automatically and with absolute certainty to soundthe alarm whenever the water in the boiler passes above the high orbelow the low water line, and that a single signal-whistle operates tosound the alarm in every case. WVhen the attention of the engineer hasbeen called to the abnormal state of the water, he

may, by pulling the cord I), operate the lever Y, so as to throw thedisk a out of contact with the valve-plug S, and thus silence thewhistle.

When it shall be desired to sound an alarm at a point distant from theroom in which the boiler to which my invention is attached is located,this may be accomplished by means of the electric bells and circuitshown in the drawings hereto annexed.

20 and 21 designate electric bells of ordinary construction, which arelocated at points where it shall be desired to sound the alarm. Saidbells are in circuit with the battery 22 and with the circuit-closers 2324, which are operated by the levers 25 and 26, respectively. The lever25 is held automatically raised from the contact-point by the action ofthe spring 27, and the lever 26 is likewise normally held raised fromthe contact-point by means of a weight 28. The lever 25 is arrangeddirectly below the outer end of the arm or lever V, which operates thewhistle of my improved boiler-alarm. The outer end of said arm or leveris also connected with the lever 20, by means of which thecircuit-closer of the electric bell 21, which is located at a distantpoint from the boiler-room, is operated by a flexible cord or wire 29,passing over suitablyarranged guides or pulleys 30.

It will be seen that when the lever V is thrown into action in themanner which has been hereinbefore described it will operate to closethe circuit of the electric bells 20 and 21, thus sounding the alarm atthe points where said bells are located. It is obvious that these bellsmay be multiplied, so as to give warning of the state of the water inthe boiler simultaneously in a number of places without regard to thedistance of said places from the boiler-room.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination of thevertical pipes connected, respectively, with the water and steam spacesof a boiler, a bracket attached securely to one of said pipes and havinga sleeve for the passage of the other pipe, an arm extending upwardlyfrom said bracket and having at its upper end a horizontal. bracketprovided with guide-sleeves for said pipes and upwardly-extending arms,levers pivoted to the said arms and connected loosely with the saidpipes, an arm extending upwardly from one of said levers and carrying adisk adapted to bear against and operate the plug of a spring-valveconnected with the steam-space of a boiler, and a steam-whistleconnected With the said valve, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

2. In a high and low water alarm for steamboilers, the combination, withthe expansion and contraction pipes connected, respectively,

to the low and high water lines of the boiler, of the levers pivoted tostationary supports and connected loosely with the upper ends of saidpipes, a steam-whistle arranged to be actuated by means of an armextending from one of said levers, and earns at the ends of said leversadapted to operate the escapevalves at the upper ends of the 'saidpipes, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the vertical expansion-pipe connected with thelow-water line of a boiler, a T-coupling at the upper end of said pipe,the horizontal branch of which is connected with the steam-space of theboiler, and the upper end of which is provided with a steam-whistle anda spring-valve for admitting steam to the latter, a branch extendinglaterally from said T-coupling and having an escape-valve provided witha laterallyextending plug, a partition arranged in the T- couplingbetween its laterally extending branches, a lever pivoted to astationary sup port and having its inner end connected loosely with theinner end of the expansionpipe and provided at its outer end with a camadapted to engage the plug of the escape valve, a spring connecting theinner end of the lever with its stationary support, and an arm extendingupwardly from the lever and carrying a disk adapted to engage the valveplug of the steam-whistle, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

4. The combination of the lever having one end connected loosely with anexpan sion-pipe, the lower end of which is connected with the low-waterline of the boiler, a stea1n-whistle having a spring-valve connectedwith the steam-space of the boiler, an arm extending upwardly from thesaid lever, a lever mounted pivotally at the upper end of said arm, ascrew-threaded rod mounted adjustably in one end of said lever, and aconcave disk at the inner end of said screw-threaded rod adapted toengage the Valve-plug of the steamwhistle, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

5. The combination of the expansion-pipe connected with the low-waterline of a boiler, a steam-whistle connected with the steam space of theboiler, a lever pivoted to a stationary support and carrying a diskadapted to engage the valve-plug of the steam-whistle, said lever havingone end connected loosely with the upper end of the expansionpipe, acontraction-pipe connected to the highwater line of the boiler, and alever pivoted to a stationary support and having one end connectedloosely with the upper end of said contraction-pipe, the otherend ofsaid lever being extended under and adapted to bear against the adjacentend of the signal-operating lever, substantially as and for the purposeherein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as, my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

ADAM W'ILLIAM GILFILLAN.

Witnesses:

EUGENE BROWN, J. T. JoHNsoN.

